By Chris Guy posted on 31 Jan 2016 in Urban

In 1965 the Cumberland Basin road scheme opened in Hotwells, Bristol. The scheme consisted of an elevated dual carriageway system above the entrance locks of the Cumberland Basin that also incorporated a swing bridge for shipping access. The complex arrangement of roads and ramps enabled traffic to be routed to whichever bridge was not being swung at the time. (Source and further reading:  Cumberland Heritage Piazza Statement).

Construction of the new roads and flyovers entailed the demolition of several residential streets in Hotwells together with 18 commercial buildings. In order to reduce the impact of the scheme the City of Bristol commissioned renowned landscape architect Dame Sylvia Crowe to recommend a design for the communal space beneath and around the road system.

At the heart of Crowe’s report (Cumberland Basin bridges Landscape Report, Sylvia Crowe, 1964) was the creation of a park – the Cumberland Piazza – which included a swiss ‘butterfly’ fountain, a café with open air tables, a children’s playground and gardens with seating positioned to make the most of the views of shipping and the Clifton suspension bridge. The reports recommendations were largely accepted and implemented. See Paul Townsend’s fantastic original photo and description on Flickrfor a idea of how it looked at the time.

Unfortunately this piece of urban utopia didn’t last. A lack of maintenance and investment meant that the piazza slid into inevitable decline. The café closed in the early 70’s and was removed altogether in 1978. The playground equipment has all been removed. The pool and fountain were filled in the early 80’s and the toilets closed in the early 90’s. Travellers have occupied the site on several occasions and perimeter stones have been added to prevent further occupation.

However it is not all bad news. In 2012 the Hotwells & Cliftonwood Community Association put together a Cumberland Piazza Master Plan with the intention to regenerate the area. This plan includes the Art Under the Flyover project working with Bristol Illustrator Dave Bain to transform the 73 pillars holding up the flyovers into a ‘concrete forest’.

Concrete elevated control tower with glass cabin and wraparound balcony on a single pillar, accessed by external stairs, set against a vivid blue sky.

The Plimsoll Swing Bridge Control Tower

Pink concrete pillar beneath an overpass painted with a stylised blue plant motif; grass, trees and parked cars visible beyond.

One of Dave Bain’s illustrations in the Cumberland Piazza

Colourful painted concrete pillars support an elevated road junction at dusk, pale moon above; railings line the carriageway and shrubs and street furniture sit beneath the underpass.

Cumberland Piazza Intersection

Concrete pedestrian overpass with angular stair tower and teal, blue and red supporting columns beneath, geometric railings and underpass creating a striking urban architectural scene.

Cumberland Piazza - Control Tower Access

Concrete contrrol tower with green metal staircase leading to a glass-fronted cabin under a clear blue sky.

Cumberland Piazza - Control Tower

Curving elevated concrete road with blue pillars arcs past a leafless tree beneath a pale moon, a small viewing platform visible above.

Cumberland Piazza, Hotwells, Bristol

Twilight cityscape: traffic on curved dual carriageways, red-brick terraced houses, an elevated rail bridge and a pastel evening sky.

View towards Clifton from Cumberland Piazza

Cars on a curved bridge road pass a stone church, with terraced houses climbing a hillside beneath a pale evening sky.

View towards Cliftonwood from Cumberland Piazza

Curved elevated road supported by turquoise and pink concrete columns, forming a shadowed urban underpass with graffiti and a tree visible at the edge.

Cumberland Piazza Pillars

Black-and-white scene beneath a concrete flyover with rows of cylindrical pillars, graffiti on some columns, bare trees and a lone person walking in the distance.

Beneath the flyover

Bright yellow, red and blue cartoon creature graffiti painted low on a cracked grey wall, spiral tummy and raised arms, speech text reads 'You can't stop me...'.

you can’t stop me

Curved elevated road glowing in golden light with a control tower in the distance, framed against a clear blue sky and bare winter trees.

Control Tower

Blue-toned alley wall with black graffiti asking who’s there when you wake and sleep, a yellow heart motif, rusted gate and exposed pipes.

Cumberland Piazza Graffiti

Low-angle view of a concrete pedestrian walkway with teal railings and massive round supporting columns, a stark brutalist structure against a pale sky.

Staircase at Cumberland Piazza

Concrete elevated control tower with glass-sided cabin and external stair, standing above a road and overlooking sunlit houses on a hillside.

The Plimsoll Swing Bridge Control Tower

Silhouette of an elevated walkway with a small control tower, lampposts and bare trees against a dusky sky, two birds drifting through the pale sunset.

Cumberland Piazza Silhouette

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